Funerals and remembering

As I was leaving the service for my neighbour on Saturday, someone asked me - are you going to the cemetery? I said that I was not.

That made me stop and think. I have been to many funerals from my church connections and otherwise. It is very seldom that I have gone to the cemetery. In fact, the only times I have are for close family funerals.

I do remember the trip from Montreal to Trois-Rivières to bury my mom’s mom at the age of 99. There were four of us travelling in the car and it was boiling hot. We had a very simple service at the cemetery for her.

My dad’s sister was in England one time visiting the part of the country that they were from. She found the cemetery where various family members had been buried. Unfortunately the cemetery was not well maintained and she could not find the exact gravestones.

I was at a very churchy and a very nonchurchy funeral.

The first one was for a Bishop of Ottawa who died very suddenly of a heart attack. In fact I was at the conference where he collapsed and I was sitting only a few feet from him. I thought I was early enough for the service but it was hard to find a seat in the Anglican cathedral in Ottawa. I ended up sitting behind a pillar.

The other one was for a riding friend. It was in a small house which was attached to the local funeral parlour. There were pictures of him at various ages, friends and conversation and goodies to eat and drink. There were also candles to light if one wanted to remember him in that way. It was very tastefully done.

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Someone said to me - I do not like to go to funerals. I meditated on that thought for quite a while. I do not like to go to funerals for someone who has died too young - as my neighbour did. However it is a good way to remember folks and to meet up with family and friends who remember them as well.

Remembering does not just have to be for people. My blog started with an obituary for a stuffed animal who was a good friend and includes one for Bishop the horse who I both miss because they were both an important part of my life.